Max
by KittyKatz
Summary: It was business as usual until Kagome's family adopts her father's canine partner. A short 3-chapter blurb about a military working dog joining ranks with the inu-gang. [T - Inuyasha's potty mouth]
1. The War Dog

**Max – Chapter 1: The War Dog**

~Kitty

* * *

 _May God bless and keep you always  
May your wishes all come true  
May you always do for others  
And_ _**let others do for you**_

 _May you build a ladder to the stars  
And climb on every rung  
May you stay  
Forever young_

 _\- Bob Dylan, Forever Young_

* * *

Inuyasha climbed out of the well, sniffed, and resisted the urge to gag. Ugh… He hated the smell of this time. It was loud and stinky, and the food was probably the only thing it had going for it. ' _Why did I let that stupid monk convince me to come here again?'_

The sun was just setting behind the horizon and Inuyasha snorted. "Oh yeah…" he said aloud.

It was his human night, and it was probably safer for him to be here. A would-be growl awkwardly tried to release itself from changing vocal cords and he felt his senses dull as the sun finished disappearing. He hated new moon nights the most in the winter. Not only was it damn cold, but the night was longer. Inuyasha glanced toward the house with its cheery light and inviting smells. At least now with this safe haven, he had a place he could relax.

"Osuwari!" Slam! Inuyasha found himself eating dirt beside the well. ' _What the fuck?!_ '

"Good boy!" Kagome's voice crooned. Inuyasha stood slowly, now fully transformed back into his weaker half. Angry that Kagome would punish him for no good reason, he stomped out of the well house in order to give the girl a piece of his mind. Just as he rounded her corner, he heard her voice issue another command.

"Down!" Inuyasha cringed. It took him a moment to remember that only that "O" word could have the devastating effects. He growled the best he could.

"Oi, wench," he growled angrily, "The fuck do you think you're doing?"

The girl in question turned sharply, startled. Inuyasha was a picture of grumpy annoyance, arms folded, eyebrows knitted together in a ferocious glower. He was only able to hold the pose for but a moment, because the next second, a shape appeared from behind the girl, low to the ground, and dark in color.

The creature regarded him stoically, almost analytically. Its nose twitched continuously, gathering the subtleties about his body. The dog even opened its mouth, as if to taste the air like a snake.

"Hi Inuyasha," Kagome's voice broke through his surprise, "You're here for the night?"

Recollecting himself, he regained his aloof stance and muttered his trademark "keh". But he couldn't keep his eyes from the creature for long. Kagome noticed the direction of his gaze and smiled to herself.

"His name is Max," she offered, "This is the military dog that fought alongside my father before he died." Inuyasha seemed shocked. Kagome had never mentioned her father during their travels together. There was no sadness or pain when she spoke of him now.

"We spent several years begging the government to adopt him." The girl turned to Max and gently scratched his ears. The dog turned his attention from analyzing the stranger to lean in against her, enjoying the attention from one that smelled so similar to his previous master. Inuyasha watched the animal jealously for a moment.

"Keh, why should I care?" he said callously, brushing past her to enter the house. Max seemed to sense Kagome's displeasure from his behavior and lifted a lip with a soft growl of warning. Inuyasha rounded on the dog, fangless teeth bared, growling the best he could with human vocal cords. The dog met his challenge calmly, as if aware that it was an empty threat, all show and no bite. His stance was sturdy and strong between the dark haired demon and human girl, protecting her, claiming her. Inuyasha didn't like that one bit. He stomped towards the dog, fully intending to grab Kagome's arm and hauling her to her proper place by his side. The dog stood his ground, issuing a clear warning: " _one step further and I bite!_ "

"Really Inuyasha," Kagome's voice cut through the tension, "Are you trying to pick a fight with a dog?"

Inuyasha snapped back, "What of it, bitch?"

Kagome frowned, hurt but his crude words. Hadn't they gotten past the name-calling already? She patted Max's head and moved past him into the house.

"Keep it in your pants, you don't have to start a pissing contest over some old dog," she said scornfully. Max followed her fluidly back into the house, leaving Inuyasha outside with his thoughts. A small shiver rolled up his back. He growled, unpleasant memories returning to his mind before being shoved back into the darkness of his subconscious. With a small sigh, he stomped into the house, a frown deeply etched into his forehead.

With the old war dog present, no one had attention to give to Inuyasha and after a hearty dinner, he spent the night sulking in the living room while Kagome and Souta fawned over the mangy creature. They had an old scrappy notebook they kept referring to and tried a variety of different commands with the dog, with varying success. Kagome seemed to be the natural and Max followed her movements and tone with attentive eagerness.

"Why does he always listen to you?" Souta complained with a huff, feeling frustrated. Inuyasha snorted from his corner, earning a bit of attention for himself.

"Do you want to try, Inuyasha?" Souta asked, holding out a strange red object. Inuyasha looked down at the rubber toy quizzically before huffing.

"The mutt's not gonna listen to me."

"Hey, you never know! Maybe he'll listen to you because you're both dogs?"

"Keh, I ain't its master."

"What, and I am?" Kagome asked, joining the conversation. Max followed at Kagome's heels and settled himself down at her feet when she sat down on the couch next to the human-for-the-night hanyou. The boy tried his best to ignore it, but his eyes kept sneaking over to watch as Kagome absently stroked the dog's head, between the ears. Long, soothing strokes just like his mother used to when he was uneasy…

Inuyasha blinked and shook himself and looked away. "Mutt seems to think so."

Kagome frowned at Inuyasha, surprised he would refer to the dog in such a way.

"His name is Max, and he's a purebred Belgian Malinois, he's not a mutt," she informed him. "Why would he think of me as his master?"

Inuyasha had felt his heart twinge when the girl clarified the dog's lineage, clearly not a dirty mutt like himself. Looking back at her, he paused before answering her question.

"He can smell the battlefield on you," Inuyasha replied, "And you probably smell a little like your old man. That's probably why."

"The battlefield…," Kagome repeated, frowning, "You mean all the fighting we do on the other side of the well? He can smell that?"

"Er, well, maybe not smell, but it's obvious you've seen battle."

"Really?" Souta chimed in curiously, "How can you tell?"

Inuyasha was beginning to feel flustered by his inability to explain properly. "Keh, I just can and the dog can too. Ok?"

He stood with a huff and marched outside, belatedly remembering it was a cold winter's night and that he no longer had the aid of his demon blood to keep him alive. He stayed outside for as long as he could bear, thankful to hear Kagome decide to turn in to bed and he crept back inside after she'd disappeared up the stairs. The house began to grow quiet as the rest of the household retired for the night, and Inuyasha remained in the living room, wanting to wait until all residents were asleep before taking up a watchful post outside Kagome's door.

The forgotten notebook on the livingroom table caught his eye and after checking that the coast was clear, he reached for it and turned to page one.

 _Today I met Max._

Inuyasha physically flinched, realizing that he was reading the private thoughts of Kagome's father and that it was probably something he ought to get explicit permission for first. Still, the tug of his curiosity soon beat out common sense and his eyes returned to the pages and continued.

 _This little pup is so uncoordinated, I'm not sure he'll make it as an MWD. Ah well, he sure is cute. I know my daughter would love him._

Inuyasha sniffed, cute doesn't save you in a battle.

 _The drive this dog has though! He'd do anything for a Kong and a good ear scratch. The little shitter is obsessed with that thing and he wears my arms out play fetch with it. And he has the stinkiest shits._

Inuyasha snickered, enjoying the faceless man's tone as he described his dog. His partner. The rigors of training and the slowly budding friendship between military working dog and its handler.

 _A dog is a man's best friend and I'm starting to see why they get that title. I love this little pup already, and I swear to God I'll take care of him forever._

Inuyasha bit his lip, should he continue? This was personal stuff after all… Maybe just a few more entries…

 _I truly couldn't have asked for a better dog. I swear he knows me better than anyone else, even myself. Whenever I've had a bad day, whenever the stress gets to me, he'll come up and press himself against me and… there's nothing I can say to describe it, to feel the presence of someone who has your back. I love that dog. I'd give my life for that dog. His eagerness to work everyday inspires me to try harder. For my country, for my brothers in arms, for my family. He's already a better man than I can ever be and he's barely a year old._

There was something uncomfortable about reading this journal. Perhaps it was the fact that he knew how it would end. Unless Kagome's father was still alive and kicking somewhere without his family's knowledge, this story was going down a dark path and he wasn't sure he should be privy to it. Yet despite himself, he had to read on.

 _I miss home. I miss my wife. I miss my kids. It seems like every time I close my eyes, I can feel Kaya and Kagome and Souta in my arms. God, I miss my family. Out here in the dust and blood, these little traces of memory haunt me. This place, the explosions, the gunfire, it's like an alternate reality, a nightmare. My grounding force is Max. Reliable Max. Just when I feel like the chaos is about to tear me to shreds, there's Max. Working harder, pushing further, always eager, always ahead. My whole team relies on Max. To keep us safe, to keep our spirits high._

 _It's hard to admit it. I mean, I already accepted that we have to rely on Max's nose to keep us safe. I never expected to rely on Max's strength to keep us sane. There's nothing like the tireless work ethic of a dog to make you pull yourself up by your sorry bootstraps and fight on for one more day. He doesn't rest, he doesn't cry. He gets up every morning and puts his life on the line for me and my men. If I had one goal in life, it would be to be worthy of such a noble sacrifice._

Inuyasha couldn't bear to read further. Somehow, reading about this dog that was now guarding Kagome made him feel entirely inadequate and he hated it. Inuyasha crossed his arms and brought up his legs to curl into himself as he struggled with a strange surge of emotion in reaction to the journal. No more. He shut the journal with a determined smack and set it down on the table.

A soft shuffle alerted him that he wasn't alone and he looked up to see the dark figure of the old, battle-worn, war dog staring back at him. He wasn't sure he liked the judgement he thought he saw in those deep brown eyes and he tried to growl at the creature.

Max didn't see the internal struggle the hanyou boy was going through. He didn't see the complex thoughts that clashed with each other as they stared at one another. Max saw a boy, a boy who was fighting a battle, in some way, shape or form.

He saw the battlefield in this boy and felt kinship with it.

So he crept forward, despite the cold reception the boy gave him. He crept closer and sat beside this strange boy with strange scents. Pressing his body against the boy's stiff side, he laid himself down and sighed. Inuyasha stayed rigid for a breath, confused by this act of compassion, before relaxing. Awkwardly, he patted the old dog on his graying head and settled himself deeper into the couch. And together, the two with canine blood dozed lightly, but stayed mostly awake, guarding this house that had come to represent home.

* * *

A/N: A little something I started after watching the movie Max about a dog that served in the marines. I'm not normally emotional during movies, but there's just something about the unfailing loyalty of a dog that was put through combat training (not like he had a choice) and then sent ahead of troops to ensure the safety of his human masters with his own life.

I wonder what they're thinking when they're working, if they ever have an off day, or if they would rather be out there in the fighting. I wonder how they feel when they're retired, if they feel like they've lost their purpose, or if they're glad to be removed from battle.

What really gets to me is the fact that these pups never have a choice. Since birth they've been assessed and trained to put their lives on the line for their human handlers. I know the handlers develop a strong bond with the dog, but the handler _volunteers_ to be a handler. The dog doesn't get that choice. It will never cease to amaze me, the loyalty of dogs. I'm so glad I have them in my life.


	2. Return to the Battlefield

**Max – Chapter 2: Return to the Battlefield**

~ Kitty

* * *

 _May you grow up to be righteous_  
 _May you grow up to be true_  
 _May you always know the truth_  
 _And **see the lights surrounding you**_

 _May you always be courageous_  
 _Stand upright and be strong_  
 _And may you stay_  
 _Forever young_

 _\- Bob Dylan, Forever Young_

* * *

"OK! I think I'm all set!" Kagome placed her fists on her hips and looked down proudly at the oversized yellow backpack. A flash of white and red and suddenly he was in front of her.

"Keh, took you long enough. Did you pack enough ramen?"

By now, she was used to his sudden appearances and just rolled her eyes at his question.

"Yeah, yeah," she said, "hate to know what your blood pressure is at these days with all the ramen you eat."

"What's blood pressure?"

A dark, graceful creature made his way to the large, bright backpack, sniffing it thoroughly. He performed his inspection with military precision, efficiently clearing it of any hazards and settling himself back down beside Kagome, awaiting the next call to action. Civilian life was a difficult adjustment and the battle was still strong in his mind. Alert to any changes in his environment, his surprise at the red-clad boy's transformation in the morning light was enough to throw him off the couch. Inuyasha had laughed at the dog and showed off his claws and fangs. "Heh! Didn't expect that didya?"

Now, Max was watching him calmly, cataloging every detail he observed as either a threat or neutral. He sensed agitation in Kagome's movements whenever the boy was nearby, and yet, there was also a joy that crept into her expression. Before he could ponder it further, the girl reached for the bag and took a step toward the old, dark hut that smelled of danger.

Max was up on all fours immediately, taking his place beside her.

"Oh! No, Max, you're not coming with me," Kagome said, turning to crouch down beside the dog, giving him a gentle ear scratch.

"Souta, could you hold Max?"

"Sure thing, sis."

Inuyasha gave the dog a concerned glance as he passed, leading the way into the well house. He could sympathize with the canine. You can take the dog out of the fight, but you can't always take the fight out of the dog. A warrior will always have a warrior's heart.

The whines started quietly at first, then increased in volume and anxiety when Kagome disappeared down the stairs in the dank, musty building.

"Kagome!" Souta yelled, having difficulty holding the dog back. Max quieted briefly when Kagome's face reappeared inside the well house.

"What is it Souta?"

"Max really wants to go with you, he's practically having a panic attack."

Kagome breathed a sigh. "Souta," she said with a little dismay, "There no way I'm taking him, I don't even know if the well will let him through."

Kagome was still too far away for Max's liking and he strained against his collar. First. He was always first. First into the desert, first into hostile territory, first into the dust and the heat and the explosions and the hot splashes of blood and bile and the screaming of dying men.

He started howling. It tore through his chest and out his throat and then he was trembling and panting and his eyes dilated and their whites flashed. Kagome came rushing to his side, concern and fear evident in her eyes and gestures.

"What's wrong with him?!" She cried in a panic. She stroked his neck, his back, murmured to him but he didn't calm down. He paced in circles, he whimpered, he whined. His nose sought out the presence that had disappeared and without the hub his world had centered around, he was lost, adrift in space and aimless, without purpose.

The touch at his side startled him at first. The firm, clawed hand that held him close and still. A vibration rippled through him and slowly, very slowly, his breathing grew deeper and more sedate and his trembling ceased.

Kagome stared in wonder at the scene in front of her. The expression on Inuyasha's face was like nothing she'd ever seen before. Unreadable, yet somehow serene. When he began a gentle growl, somewhere deep in his throat, she felt a shiver race up her spine. They all breathed a sigh of relief when Max relaxed, and blinked, and focused on the people around him.

"Does he have to stay behind, Kagome?" Kagome frowned and blinked, surprised by Inuyasha's complete change of attitude toward Max in the last couple days.

"I could try carrying him through the well slowly and see if it let's him," the hanyou offered.

"I'd have thought you'd be against him coming along. Thought you'd consider him a liability."

"Keh, the dog ain't dumb."

Kagome sighed, not entirely on board with the idea but also at a loss of what else she could do.

"Fine, let me go tell mama," she said, relenting.

Kagome's mother was alarmed to hear their decision, but was understanding like she was with everything else. Max really did look right, standing beside her daughter. They all held their breath while Inuyasha carefully lowered himself into the well with the dog slung over his shoulder. Max was surprisingly calm about the whole endeavor, as if he'd ridden many shoulders while descending into the unknown. A blue light appeared and faded and the bottom of the well was empty when they peered down.

"Well, I guess I should go before Max panics again…" Kagome said with a shrug, giving her mother a quick hug and a kiss and then she, too, disappeared into the well.

…

Kagome landed with a soft thud and looked up at the little square patch of sky above her. A dark, pointed face smiled down at her, the long pink tongue swaying as the dog panted lightly. Max's eyes were bright and alert, and somehow she thought she saw traces of humor in his face as he stared down the well. From beyond, she heard Inuyasha's voice calling.

"Oi, wench, get up here, we ain't got all day."

Kagome sighed and hauled herself out of the well, grateful that Inuyasha had already taken her heavy backpack through. Max greeted her enthusiastically, tail wagging and wet nose pressing against her cheeks and neck. She giggled, taking hold of both sides of his face to give him a thorough head scratch.

Inuyasha sniffed with disgust, unwilling to admit to himself that he was just jealous. "Come on, Kagome, the others are probably waiting for us."

"The others are probably relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day," she retorted. She straightened though, and joined him as he began to head down the well-worn trail to the village. Max trotted ahead, moving silently and efficiently through the underbrush, his nose working hard to detect any signs of threat in the dark wood.

The old war dog needn't have worried. Inuyasha was diligent in his duties and the woods were dark but friendly. A light dusting of frost traced dazzling designs across the surfaces of the fallen leaves scattered throughout the forest floor and Max left wide, moist paw prints when he stepped through them.

When they came upon the village, his body language changed and he retracted his tongue to focus solely on his sense of smell. Kagome stopped instinctively behind the dog, peering down at him curiously.

"What is it Max?"

"He's scouting for danger," Inuyasha muttered, stomping past them and sauntering into the village. The dog hurried to take the lead, quickly and efficiently checking every fence post and every structure. There was no trace of explosive materials in this town and it confused the dog. Ramshackle settlements like this _always_ held danger. Max's guard hairs were up and his mind buzzed with excitement to be back in the saddle, so to speak.

The first villagers they encountered jumped back startled. They were unused to seeing unfamiliar animals emerge from the forest and trot into the village like they owned the place. The men whispered nervously and women held their children close, but Max ignored them. The humans here made no threatening movements and so Max quickly categorized them and moved on.

Inuyasha appeared soon after Max and made no effort to calm the obvious concern the humans had over the dark, predatory creature.

"The dog's with me," he said simply. And the villagers would just have to deal with it. Luckily, Kagome quickly joined them and explained the situation and they all made it to Kaede's hut without incident.

…

"Kagome's back!" An excited voice sang out as they neared the hut. A little figure bounded out from the covered doorway and ran toward them. Max's first instinct was to protect and so he moved himself in front of Kagome, his body loose and ready. But he took his cues from Inuyasha and when the strange, red-clad boy didn't react, Max relaxed and allowed the child to approach.

Shippou, however, had stopped short when he saw the dog. "What is _that_?" He asked, clearly confused.

"This is Max." Kagome rested a hand between the dog's ears. "He's my dad's old war dog."

Shippou was busy getting nose to nose with Max. They sniffed each other for several minutes before the fox kit sneezed.

"Uh… Hi Max?" The child was not dangerous, Max decided. In fact, by Kagome's reaction, the child quickly became elevated to protected status in the dog's mind. Max wagged his tail and gave the kit a lick.

Shippou giggled and brought a little hand up to pat the dog's head. "I like this one!" He said, "This dog is _way_ better than Inuyasha!"

"Why you little brat!" Inuyasha said angrily. Shippou giggled and jumped onto Kagome's shoulder. Max placed himself in front of them both and Inuyasha flashed his fangs in annoyance before stomping into the hut. Max tilted his head back and forth, unused to the relaxed and undisciplined nature of the interactions between his new comrades.

In the meantime, Sango, Kirara, and Miroku had all stepped out and were curiously watching the dog. Now that Shippou had been officially cataloged in his mind, Max moved forward to investigate the others. Sango knelt down to allow his nose access to Kirara and they sniffed each other seriously for a while. When the dog turned to Miroku, he stiffened and spent a long time sniffing the monk's hand. This. This smelled of danger. He growled at the man who stood so close to his new master with such a dangerous hand.

Kagome saved Miroku by coming up behind Max and placing a calm, silencing hand on his back. "Yeah, but Miroku can't help it," she told the dog.

Miroku laughed nervously, scratching his head.

"Max has good instincts."

"Keh." Inuyasha's voice came from the hut. Miroku sighed and rolled his eyes, knowing what it was that the hanyou would want to be discussing that night. The rumors on the wind seemed to indicate a possible several shards within a few day's travel from the village. Their brief respite due to Kagome's tests and Inuyasha's human night was over and it was time to get back down to business.

…

The air was crisp and the sun was bright and the group of travelers went forth down the road with lightness in their steps. Following the rumor on the wind, they made their way away from the village and two brisk figures lead the march.

The darker shape on all fours circled back frequently, sniffing the ground and the air, letting his mouth hang open to taste whatever his nose detected. The bright red shape leapt from branch to branch in the trees, glancing back every so often, frowning to see one of the dark haired figures behind him stoop down to take up the dog's dark head in her hands and plant a kiss on the creatures snout. The red shape turned and pressed on.

As the day grew old and the sun dipped down, he located a suitable campsite and alerted the rest. The companions had traveled many such journeys together like this and immediately set about their individual tasks. Max turned to Inuyasha, sensing the unspoken leadership the hanyou boy had, no matter the bickering and teasing.

"Me and Max will scout the area," Inuyasha said, glancing at the dog's ready stance. He was impressed by the mutt's stamina, the lean body moved smoothly through the underbrush, keeping pace with the boy above him. When he'd made half a circuit around their camp, he paused, looking down at the canine with a new spark in his eyes. The site was clear, his superhuman nose told him that. But he didn't quite want to return to camp just yet.

"C'mon, Max," the boy called out to the dog below. He took off racing, dropping down to the underbrush and practically flew as his legs pumped feverishly underneath him. The dark, fluid shape raced behind, panting cleanly, like the whirring hum of a well-oiled machine.

"Ha! So the old mutt _can_ keep up!" Inuyasha called out. He received a spirited bark in reply and they continued to race through the forest in the dying light.

Kagome looked up surprised to see Max and Inuyasha returning to camp together, panting, Max's tongue lolling out the side of his long jaws. Inuyasha's eyes were bright and glassy and Kagome took this all in with great amusement.

"Jeez, where did you guys run off to?" Shippou asked, "Did you guys race back to Kaede's and back?"

"Keh," was Shippou's only response and Inuyasha moves towards the fire to see what the night's dinner was going to be.

"Dog's gonna need more meat than that," he stated, turning around and heading back into the darkness. It was as if there was an unspoken agreement. Max made no move to follow, instead positioning himself near Kagome, but slightly distant, closer to the hidden dangers of the forest so he would be the first to respond should any threat arise. Kagome watched Inuyasha go, humored by the sudden emergence of leadership and pack mentality that seemed to have materialized in the demon. When her camp chores were done, she crept nearer to the sleek dog, patting the warm, soft head. Max took a moment to enjoy the soft hand before returning his attention to what lay outside the circle of safety of the campfire. He was alert to all sounds and movements, and Kagome gazed at the somber creature thoughtfully.

By the time Inuyasha re-emerged from the woods, the others had already begun to tuck into their dinners. Inuyasha offered up a gutted rabbit, cleanly skinned with the guts and intestines removed, but several choice organs remained. He silently deboned and skewered the meat and propped it against the fire before collecting his share of ramen from Kagome.

"Thanks for taking care of Max for me," she said to him softly, "I should have brought more kibble."

"Keh, that shit ain't enough for 'im anyway," was the gruff reply.

"Well, thanks, just the same."

Inuyasha shifted with embarrassment and only grunted in response. Max watched the interaction with deep, brown eyes and Inuyasha felt self-conscious to know the creature's eyes were carefully absorbing his actions. When the dog was fed and everyone had settled into their sleeping blankets, Inuyasha took up watch in a tree branch above the rest. For several long minutes, he felt Max's eyes on him and he was painfully aware of the dog below. He sighed in relief when he heard the dog shift and glanced down to see Kagome wrapping an arm around the dark brown shape. Jealousy rose up inside his chest but he stifled it down to a low ache. Then he heard Kagome whisper.

"I'm glad you were there to protect my dad. I wish he could have come home with you."

Max nuzzled into Kagome's warmth, sensing the pain behind her voice and seeking to comfort it. He watched her sigh and saw a wistful smile creep across her face. Words from Kagome's father's journey echoed back to him as he watched the silent strength transfer from the dog to the girl.

 _'... Whenever the stress gets to me, he'll come up and press himself against me… He's already a better man than I can ever be...'_

* * *

A/N: So the lyrics I've been quoting at the beginnings of the chapters are from Forever Young, originally written by Bob Dylan for his son. A version by Blake Shelton for the movie Max plays at the end with a slideshow of past and present war dogs and their handlers… Everytime I watch it… Oh. My. God. The feels, they hurt so bad! Good dogs, you all are such good dogs!


	3. A noble sacrifice

**Max – Chapter 3: A Noble Sacrifice**

~ Kitty

* * *

 _May your hands always be busy  
May your feet always be swift  
_ _ **May you have a strong foundation  
When the winds of changes shift**_

 _May your heart always be joyful  
May your song always be sung  
And may you stay  
Forever young_

 _\- Bob Dylan, Forever Young_

* * *

Several trips back and forth through the well and things began to settle into a rhythm. True to Inuyasha's prediction, Max had an uncanny intelligence when it came to battle. The old war dog alerted them of danger and did his part, and he had a realistic understanding of what he brought to the table and did those things well. He was quickly becoming a trusted, reliable new member of the team and the village children loved him.

They were back at camp now, Max happily chewing on the limp body of his latest kill. The shibugarasu had attempted to steal into their circle as a wounded traveler, burrowing into the body of an unlucky merchant. Inuyasha and Max could both tell that something was off but Inuyasha's prayer beads and Kagome's liberal use of them prevented the dog hanyou from taking action and so it fell upon Max to reveal the evil lurking underneath. Kagome was trying to apologize to Inuyasha for her actions but the dog demon was having none of it, brushing her away and taking off into the night.

Dejected and unhappy, Kagome squatted down next to Max, watching him as he crunched the demon's bones in his jaws.

"Is that thing tasty?" Kagome asked, doubtfully. Max didn't seem to mind the flavor, but paused in his activities because Kagome was looking at him, and because she seemed distressed. Standing up, he walked up to her, snout twitching as he tried to determine the cause of her sad expression. Kagome smiled and gave the dog an ear scratch.

"At least I get to pet your ears," she murmured to the dog, finding comfort in the touch of his fur.

Having been unable to locate any physical ailments, Max nuzzled close to Kagome, pressing his warm body against her underdressed one. He licked under her chin and over her nose and whined.

"It's ok boy," she said, laughing and grimacing at the same time. Demon guts and marrow still streaked his otherwise handsome face and she didn't savor the idea of having it rubbed against her cheeks.

He stopped licking her and simply looked into her eyes. She returned his gaze and sighed.

"You're a good boy," she said, "Such a good boy."

When dinner was served and consumed, and the half-demon hadn't returned, Kagome decided she would go searching for the wayward hanyou. Both Miroku and Sango discouraged the idea.

"He'll come back when he's ready," Miroku stated, "and he wouldn't like you wondering around at night here."

"Houshi-sama is right, Kagome-chan," Sango said with some concern, "We haven't found the demon that plagues this area."

Kagome sighed, gazing off into the darkness. "That's what I'm worried about," she admitted, "What if it's too much for him to handle on his own?"

Shippou crawled into her lap, patting Max where the dark head rested on her knee.

"Yeah, Kagome," the little fox spirit said, crossing his arms and shaking his head with mock wisdom, "He's just being a grump. Jeez, and he's supposed to be the mature one."

The girl still wasn't convinced and she glanced down at the calm presence pressed against her knee.

"What do you think Max?" She asked. The dog raised his head, gazing into her eyes, intently trying to discern what she wanted. She smiled at the dog.

"Let's go find our favorite half dog-demon."

Sango frowned with confusion but said nothing and Shippou hopped out of Kagome's lap with a little huff, moving to snuggle into Kirara's fur. Miroku sighed with a crooked smile before cautioning Kagome not to stay out for too long. Kagome called back to let him know she heard before disappearing from sight into the forest.

…

The forest was silent and eerie as they walked. Max could sense her anxiety and stayed close, using his nose to scout ahead where he would ordinarily be. Kagome had come to rely on Max significantly, using his body language as an indicator for how she ought to react to nearby threats or sounds. So when the sleek, dark shape paused and would not move forward, she scanned the surrounding undergrowth with her flashlight, nervously seeking out what had alerted her dog to stand so still.

A flash a white and red caught the light and then he was before her.

"Oi, wench, you shouldn't be out here by yourself."

Kagome swallowed her yelp of fright and glared at the dog boy crossly.

"I'm not by myself, I'm with Max," she argued, "Just how long are you going to keep sulking? We're all worried about you."

Inuyasha harrumphed and spoke sarcastically. "Oh sure. I'm sure you're all fucking worried."

Kagome frowned and sighed. "What's wrong with you? I apologized already, didn't I?"

"Keh."

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't realize the traveler was being controlled by a demon and that I didn't trust your judgement. Are you happy now?"

Something inside him snapped at this latest apology. He rounded on her and ignored Max's light growl of warning to yell into her face.

"Yeah fucking right you don't trust my judgement. How long have we been stuck with each other on the shitty quest? How many times have I had to save your sorry ass? But no, I'm the impulsive, dirty mutt that gets even less regard than _that_."

Inuyasha pointed a rigid finger at Max and the dog was rather tempted to nibble on the offered appendage. Kagome was breathing shallowly, her initial response to the verbal assault was to push back. But something held her back this time and somewhere in the back of her mind, a soft voice told her to _listen_. When he paused for breath, she tried to soothe the irate boy in front of her.

"I don't think you're a dirty mutt," she said softly. Inuyasha sneered at her denial.

"Keh, yeah you fucking do," he growled, "You immediately trusted Max's reaction to the fucking crow but decided to 'sit' me into a fucking crater when _I_ tell you something's off."

"I-," Kagome started to say. She cut herself off when no defense of her actions sprang forward to absolve her of his accusation. Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably when he saw how his point dawned on her and then the look of guilt on her face made him feel guilty. And then he was angry with himself for feeling guilty. And angry with her as well.

"Inuyasha… I'm-," Kagome started to say.

"Don't **fucking** say anything," Inuyasha said sharply, "I don't fucking wanna hear it."

He turned to stomp off, feeling rather satisfied with this particular encounter. He was preparing to make a dramatic exit when a soft hand found his and prevented him from leaving. He was about to tell her off and yank his hand back when the girl moved forward to wrap her arms around him.

And then he smelled the salt of tears.

And he felt horribly guilty for making her cry. Even if the reason for his anger was justified. Which again, made him even more irritated with the situation.

She pulled back after a breath or two, her eyes still spilling over. She took a deep breath and looked into his face.

"I know saying sorry isn't going to help," she said weakly.

"Keh, no shit."

"And I know I can't promise that I'll always trust your judgement from now on."

He snorted and looked away. He froze when he felt shy fingertips against his cheek, gently returning his gaze to hers. It was as if she knew the power that intimate gestures from her would do to him and he felt his resolve to hold onto his grudge slipping.

"But can you forgive me if I promise to try?" Kagome asked him, her eyes boring holes into his soul.

Inuyasha almost groaned in frustration. Those wide innocent eyes haunted him, even in his dreams and he knew he would have to forgive her. Finally he sighed and gave her a slight nod, feeling inexplicably happier when her guilty, worried face brightened into a genuine smile. Beside them, Max seemed to relax as well, sensing the conflict between the two of them had abated. Kagome was just about to catch his hand to bring him back to camp when a loud rustling was heard nearby and both canines immediately felt their hackles rise as they turned to face the newly emerged threat.

Things happened very quickly. A large reptilian shape rose from the foliage and roared loudly into the night. Inuyasha quickly shoved the girl behind him, drawing his sword and advancing on the monster.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice called to him. "It's got a shard! On it's hand!"

The next moment Inuyasha found himself barely parrying said hand as it tried to crush him into the ground. Max was barking loudly and Kagome could vaguely hear shouting from their campsite and prayed the others would get there soon. Preferably with her bow and arrows.

The creature's other hand lashed out and Inuyasha shouted her name. A flash of brown and then a warm, lean body fell against her before sliding to the ground. Kagome didn't have enough time to react because the demon swung again and she was barely able to call up a barrier before the claws made impact. It slashed down at her again, and then again, and just once more before it broke through, a frightening large claw raking down her torso from shoulder to hip.

The scent of her blood incited him, gave him an extra boost of strength and then it was over as the others joined them, the creature's doom sealed by a combination of the tessaiga and Sango's hiraikotsu. And then a whine from beside her and the bottom dropped out of her stomach. She fell to her knees beside the panting body and Inuyasha joined her, silently handing a brightly shining jewel shard before turning his attention to the dog.

* * *

 **ALTERNATE ENDING NUMBER 1!**

* * *

"These wounds are deep…" There was something strange in his voice that caught her attention and made her heart stop. Max made a gurgling whine and drew her attention to him. She sniffled, drawing in a rough, shaky breath.

"Go on," she whispered, "Find my papa. Tell him I love him, and that I think about him often. Find papa, and be at peace."

Her tears were free flowing now as she pulled out a single arrow from her quiver. She bit her lip so hard it bled, dripping down and mixing with Max's. The silence was thick and eerie in the clearing and her friends all held their breaths, witnessing the scene quietly. Inuyasha came forward and helped her position the arrow's point. Her whole body trembled and she was grateful for Inuyasha's strong, steady hands. He looked up at her, and she paused for a moment, staring deeply into his eyes and drawing strength from his. Then she nodded.

In unison, they thrust the arrow into the dog's chest. He gasped, and flinched, and relaxed. Brown eyes closed and then Max sighed.

Kagome stayed there for a long time, stroking the sleek brown face. The body was stiff and cold and still she couldn't bring herself to stop. Inuyasha stayed nearby, watching over her while Sango and Miroku tried to be as minimally intrusive as possible while dressing their wounds. Her tears were long dry by the time she could bring herself to look up. Inuyasha returned her stare with golden, concerned irises that both understood, and silently comforted. He approached her then, gently lifted the soft, dark body from the ground, and they walked silently back to the village together.

* * *

 **ALTERNATE ENDING NUMBER 2!**

* * *

"These wounds are deep…" There was something strange in his voice that caught her attention and made her heart stop. Max made a gurgling whine and drew her attention to him. She sniffled, drawing in a rough, shaky breath.

"No…" she whispered, both to the dog and her companions. "No!"

The tears in her eyes made her vision blurry and she glared at the red and white blob that was Inuyasha.

"We have to try!" She cried, "We have to!"

She saw Inuyasha process this, saw him hesitate and for a moment she was afraid he would deny her. But when his eyebrows drew together and his lips set into a thin determined line, she knew he agreed with her and would do everything in his power to save her father's dog.

"Sango, Miroku, take care of Kagome." Inuyasha then turned to Max, and with more care and gentleness than anyone had witnessed from him, he lifted the dark, bleeding body and disappeared into the sky, racing back to the village and to Kaede's healing herbs.

It was a long night, and turned into a long morning. Kagome and the rest hobbled back into the village at dawn and hastened to Kaede's hut to check on Max's condition. The long morning became an afternoon and finally, Kaede heaved a sigh and looked up into the concerned faces.

"He just might pull through."

…

"C'mon Max!" Kagome's voice rang through the air and two tall, pointed ears perked up. Stiffly, a dark body raised itself and trotted unevenly over to its master.

The old ease of movement and graceful lope was no longer present in the creature. The battlefield had finally claimed his usefulness and there was no place in battle for him anymore. But he still accompanied her to the strange new place on the other side of the well.

And when shard rumors or dangerous missions drew her away, he would remain, faithfully guarding the home she would return to. He romped with the old woman as she gathered herbs, allowed the village children to pet and feed him, alerted the men of danger, and greeted the shard hunters when they returned. He found a new purpose, assimilating into village life and offering a silent, sincere strength when the wearied travelers needed someone to lean on.

One day, he will greet death. He will return to the side of his master and they will keep watch over her together. But that was not today and he pressed close to her, treasuring the time he had remaining and placing his trust in the future that he had helped protect.

* * *

 _And when our time together is done and you move on in the world, remember me with kind thoughts and tales._

 _For a time we were unbeatable, nothing passed among us undetected._

 _If we should meet again on another street, I will gladly take up your fight,_

 _I am a Military Working Dog._

 _We are the guardians of the night._

 _~ excerpt from Guardians of the Night, often recited for fallen MWDs._


End file.
